Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 150

DAY 150 - (Week 1, DAY 3 of 8 week challenge)

I made it to 150 days..woohoo!! Tonight I was so tired and didn't get around to yoga until about 10pm. I so wanted to skip it and go straight to bed, but my 150 day motivated me and I knew I would sleep better after. Tonight focused on learning Warrior 2 and Extended Side Angle poses. I love this book because it explains everything in such detail. I have really been working on alignment in each posture.

I have realized that I need small challenges along the way to keep me motivated and help me achieve my long term goal. This tends to be true with most things I do!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 149

DAY 149 - (Week 1, Day 2 of 8 week challenge)

A sequence focusing on learning Mountain Pose and Triangle Pose. It's feels good to be doing mostly standing poses again... like I said before I have been quite "yoga lazy" lately and sticking to seated poses, breath, and relaxation.

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 148

DAY 148 - Today I began my new 8 week challenge, "Moving Toward Balance" with Rodney Yee. This book takes you through 8 aspects of balance (one each week) as you practice related posture, breath awareness, and meditation. Each weekly lesson consists of an Introduction, Day 1 (learn the poses), Day 2-5 is guided sequences, Day 6 is breath awareness and meditation, and Day 7 is rest; but I will either do another sequence or another day of breath awareness and meditation. 

Week 1 - Day 1: Being Present

Today I read the introduction and practiced the poses for the week. "Being present means observing and responding appropriately  to whatever arises." We start with standing poses to awaken our physical connection to the earth. Standing poses awaken our legs to increase their agility, strength and alignment. The poses invigorate the entire body, which brings ease to your mind. Therefore helping to be present. Each day ends with a short relaxation, breath and meditation.

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAYS 146 & 147

DAY 146 & 147 - It's a holiday weekend so the last 2 nights I kept it simple with breathing and meditation, especially since I will start my 8 week Yoga challenge on Monday! I hope everyone had a great Memorial Weekend and spent some time relaxing and enjoying friends/family! xxx

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 145

DAY 145 - I ended my day with a couple back and side stretches. I'm feeling quite yoga lazy lately and I haven't done much more than 10 minutes for several weeks now. I feel so distracted and my mind is all over the place again. It must be because of my new business and my motivation has shifted to it...I have been considering doing my Rodney Yee book, "8 weeks of Yoga" as a new challenge to re-motivate me with yoga. I think I mentioned this book before...I have only completed it one other time (right before my yoga teacher training). I think I will start it on Monday!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 143 & 144

DAY 143 and 144 - I managed to get some yoga in during the afternoon the last 2 days. Just simple sequences of my own. I haven't done many videos lately, so I hope to do some over the long weekend.

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 142

DAY 142 - One of my favorite moments is still getting to hold my son when he falls asleep. He is growing so fast and soon I won't be able to do it anymore... so tonight while holding him, I did a meditation and focused on my love and appreciation for having him in my life. I am so blessed! I love you my sweet Mateus!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 141

DAY 141 - With my husband at soccer and my son asleep, I can usually get some yoga in and have a quiet house!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 140

DAY 140 - My days are mixing together and I am usually posting a day late, sorry! I need to be better at keeping on track. I've been so consumed with my photography, so my yoga time in the evening is keeping me at ease. I keep saying this, but I need to commit to doing more daytime practices and keep evenings free to work more on my photography. Yoga is so important for me to relax as well as get my creativity flowing!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 139

DAY 139 - A full day today, so it was a night of a short mediation and relaxation...

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 138

DAY 138 - It was a beautiful day, so while I was at the park with Mateus he played and I did a little yoga!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 137

DAY 137 - Shoulder stand....my only pose this evening

Benefits

• Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
• Stimulates the thyroid and prostate glands and abdominal organs
• Stretches the shoulders and neck
• Tones the legs and buttocks
• Improves digestion
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Reduces fatigue and alleviates insomnia
• Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, and sinusitis

This is probably my favorite posture and has multiple important benefits!  

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 136

DAY 136 - A sequence of calming and restoration poses to end my day. Just a few minutes goes a long way!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 135

DAY 135 - A night of rest and relaxation pose!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 134

DAY 134 - Chair yoga tonight..lol! I have been at the computer quite a bit this week getting my new photography business together, so I took a few breaks and did some stretches in between my work. What a difference it makes! If you work at a desk and at a computer, take regular breaks, stretch your arms, neck and back, and twist.

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 133

DAY 133 - A quick sequence with one of my favorite instructors, Shiva Rea! I love her yoga style, it is like yoga dance. She is constantly moving and flowing..a great pick me up that I needed tonight!

http://www.myyogaonline.com/videos/yoga/prana-yoga-for-the-spine

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAYS 130,131 & 132

DAY 130, 131, & 132 - Oh gosh, sorry I haven't posted in a few days! I've been working on a new project (photography), so it's been a little hard to find the time to write. The last few days I only had time for a little late night yoga, which was basically just a few poses, breathing, or meditation. The good news is, that I'm feeling much much better!!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 129

DAY 129 - A few quick backbends and shoulder openers and stretches for my aching arms and back today...too many times of lifting Mateus in the air I think!

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 128

DAY 128 - I found a new mama and baby postnatal yoga class on "my yoga online." I did it while Mateus was sleeping to check it out it if it was something he could do with me. Basically the babies in the class were quite young and just laid there or slept. There is even one baby who gets a diaper change in the middle of class...lol love it! The class was really nice though and helps a new mama get out some of those aches and pains of caring for a baby. I would recommend to any new mom!

This was the first video I have done in a while, and it was so nice to be led by someone else again!

 http://www.myyogaonline.com/videos/yoga/postnatal-mom-and-baby-yoga

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 127

DAY 127 - Yoga to the sound of the rain...

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 126

DAY 126 - A really busy, but fun day for me with 2 photo shoots. I am building my portfolio to start a portrait photography business! It's days like these, my yoga time is especially important to not only clear my head, unwind, but to even promote creativity. I unwound this evening with a short sequence, while I let thoughts of today's session pass through my mind. After this, I tried to let it all pass out of my mind and just BE.

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 125

DAY 125 - A day of relaxation for me! I love weekends! :-)

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 123 & 124

DAY 123 and 124 - It's been another couple days of my son teething; so he hasn't been taking regular naps and has gone to bed at 10pm the last 2 nights! Therefore I haven't been able to do yoga until quite late the last couple of days. I kept my sequences simple and short both nights... just doing a few poses my body was asking for in order to ring out any aches and pains of the long days. Let's see what tomorrow brings..

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 122

DAY 122 - The house was quiet since my son was asleep and my husband was at soccer, so I got a really nice evening sequence in...BLISS!!!  Finally feeling back to normal again...

Yoga Everyday for a Year - DAY 121

DAY 121 - Feeling better today! I managed to get a few asanas in this afternoon to get my body moving. Hopefully I can do more of a full sequence tomorrow!

Yoga everyday for a Year - DAY 120

DAY 120 - Tonight just a short meditation focusing on the heath of my body after a long 3 weeks of pain and sickness. It's been a draining few weeks, especially when you have a little one to take care of too. You never get to totally rest, so recovery time can be a little longer... I am feeling much better, so I am looking forward to a new challenge soon!

I still haven't done anything to celebrate me 100 days of yoga...hmmm...now I may just wait until 150 since I am half way there! LOL